Narrative Theory: Fictional Minds and Narrative Unreliability

This course will explore recent trends in narrative theory, focusing on the representation of minds in fiction and on narrative unreliability. The work of narratologists such as Dorrit Cohn, Monika Fludernik, James Phelan, Ansgar Nünning and Alan Palmer will form the basis for discussions on unreliable narrators, mad narrators, self-conscious andnaïve narrators, the representation of thoughts in fiction and the mind style of fictional characters. Literary works that will be discussed may include texts by authors such as Nikolaj Gogol, Edgar Allan Poe, Ken Kesey, Ian McEwan and a selection of modern Dutch and Flemish fiction. All works can be read in English translation.